PRETORIA | Chairperson of the Southern African Development Community’s (SADC) Organ on Defence, Politics and Security Cooperation, President Cyril Ramaphosa said the regional body supports the “people and Government of Eswatini towards the achievement of practical and sustainable solutions” to the attainment of peace.
This follows unrelenting protests and unrest which have rocked the country since June.
This after President Ramaphosa deployed former Minister in the Presidency Jeff Radebe as a special envoy. He was supported by representatives of the Republics of Nambia and Botswana as the incoming and outgoing chair of the Organ respectively, assisted by the SADC Secretariat to engage with His Majesty King Mswati III on the country’s political and security developments.
The special envoy also met with Eswatini members of Cabinet led by Prime Minister Cleopas Sipho Dlamini, members of the Diplomatic Corps, civil society organisations, Members of Parliament, trade unions and members of society in that country.
“During the engagements, all stakeholders agreed that the conduct of a national dialogue should be the appropriate platform to address the current challenges facing the country. In this regard, they recognised the need for a peaceful and conducive environment for the dialogue to take place,” Ramaphosa said.
He said the SADC is now calling for calm “on all sides” to enable the process towards the national dialogue to begin.
“Because His Majesty King Mswati III has accepted the need for national dialogue, as announced by the INDVUNA YELULUDZIDZINI, on His Majesty’s behalf, it is in this context and development that I appeal for calm, restraint, the respect for the rule of law and human rights on all sides to enable the process to commence,” said Ramaphosa.
